How to royally piss off your customers

This is wrong on sooo many levels. Behold an email from Citibank, advertising paperless statements.

It's a FREE service, we learn. It'd better be, Citibank, considering the amount of money you save by not having to mail the stuff every week. Plus, of course we're not aware that EVERYONE offers this service for free.

It helps you protect yourself from identity theft, too. Really? And paper statements don't? Also notice they way it's formulated: Citibank doesn't protect you, it 'helps you protect yourself.' No kidding. Does Citi think we were born yesterday?

But most insulting of all is the graphic:a 60s housewife with her head in rollers. This was sent to a friend of mine, a senior marketing consultant. Female yes, rollers no.

And no Citi, she didn't appreciate the gently humorous touch that was undoubtedly intended. At least I hope that was the intention.